Author: gleanernewspaper

Director General of the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Brima Baluwa Koroma, this week briefed Parliament’s Committee on Trade and Industry on recent developments in Sierra Leone’s downstream petroleum sector, outlining the regulator’s mandate, policy priorities and ongoing interventions to protect consumers, industry operators and government interests. Koroma told committee members that the responsibilities of the NPRA are based on the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority Act, 2025, which provides the Authority with the power to regulate the downstream sector to ensure that it is efficient, competitive and safe. The work of the regulator is to strike a careful balance between…

Her Excellency Ayo Luther Ogbomde, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Sierra Leone and President Bio Freetown, Thursday 9 July 2026_President Dr Julius Maada Bio today formally received three newly accredited envoys to the Republic of Sierra Leone and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, promoting regional cooperation and expanding international partnerships. Also at State House, the envoys handed over the Letters of Recall for their predecessors and presented their Letters of Credence.The diplomats who presented their credentials were: Her Excellency Ayo Luther Ogbomde, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Sierra Leone;…

Africell Sierra Leone, in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the University of Sierra Leone, officially launched UniPod Sierra Leone on 9 July 2026. The innovation hub, launched at Fourah Bay College in Mount Aureol, aims to support young entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators by providing access to technology, mentorship and business development support with a view to translating ideas into commercially viable solutions to national development challenges.The UniPod is a catalytic space for students, researchers and entrepreneurs to collaborate in the design, prototyping and development of products and services that respond to…

By Shannon A. L. Scott Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has called on government institutions and development partners to adopt data-driven decision-making, enhance digital coordination and increase inter-agency collaboration as important steps for improved public service delivery and fast-tracking national development.The appeal was made during a training workshop on Coordination and Planning Visualisation Platform organised by DSTI in partnership with CRS. The event took place on Monday 7 July 2026 at Country Lodge in Hill Station, Freetown, bringing together officials from ministries, departments and agencies and representatives of development organisations…

National Security Coordinator, Abdulai Caulker The Office of National Security (ONS), in collaboration with the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and the Sierra Leone Police, has improved security in and around Freetown ahead of the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State. The summit will be held on July 19, 2026, by His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, at the newly built Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre, Lungi. Ministers, officials, delegates and guests from the West African region will…

4 June 2026, Freetown. The Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone has presented 15 Lifan motorbikes to the Office of National Security (ONS) during a ceremony at the ONS headquarters on OAU Drive, Tower Hills, Freetown. The donation, which is aimed at enhancing the mobility and operational capacity of the ONS, was formally handed over to the National Security Coordinator (NS Coord), Mr Abdulai Caulker, in the presence of senior officials of the ONS and the Chinese diplomatic delegation. Deputy National Security Coordinator Dr Ahmed Sannoh, in his opening remarks, warmly welcomed His Excellency Zhao Yong, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone…

Freetown – The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay Esq., held a high-level consultative meeting on Tuesday 7 July 2026 at the Guma Building, Lamina Sankoh Street, to review progress and agree a timetable for the completion of the Tripartite Committee’s electoral reform recommendations.The meeting gathered key stakeholders including representatives of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC), National Moral Guarantors of the Agreement for National Unity and legal representatives of the All People’s Congress (APC). Participants took stock of reforms already introduced, reviewed the status of measures already underway and agreed on a clear roadmap…

The Sierra Leone High Commission (SLHC) was represented today at a Basic Life Support (BLS) training session organised by community group Wel Bodi Beteh Pas Gentri (WBBPG) and delivered by Dr Mohamed Kamara, Emergency Consultant at Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust in Greater Manchester. The practical session took place at the Crawford Estate Tenants Hall in South East London and was live-streamed online to participants from across the UK and further afield, who received practical training on emergency response and life-saving interventions. The training included expert presentations and practical demonstrations to guide participants in recognising and responding…

Mrs Christiana S.H. Fallah, Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of Chancery, Sierra Leone High Commission in London, attended the Milton Margai Alumni UK & I Cultural Evening on March 7, 2026, at Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton, South East London. Mrs Fallah, a proud former student of the then Milton Margai College of Education and Technology, stated that she was truly delighted to see former students and colleagues come together to celebrate their common background, restore friendships that span decades and foster a sense of togetherness among Sierra Leoneans living in the UK. Mrs Fallah took the opportunity to reflect on the…

A pensioner and long-time customer of Mercury International went home with Le692,000 on Monday, July 6, 2026, after correctly predicting the outcome of 15 football matches on the company’s betting platform. Leslie Prince Mensah-Coker received the cheque in a brief ceremony at Mercury International’s headquarters on Walpole Street, Freetown. The event highlighted the operator’s commitment to timely payments and its commitment to instilling customer confidence. During the presentation, Beresford Bournes-Coker, Chief Operations Officer of Mercury International, took the opportunity to highlight the company’s promotional structure and financial reliability. The company, he said, was the “Bonus King,” referring to a 100…